The Felled Areas Have Been Replanted: A History of Chopwell Wood

Investigating'Here'

This curated audio collection explores the stories, memories and reactions that local residents and users of Bensham, Gateshead, associate with local places past, present and future. Excerpts are taken from the participatory research project, Bensham Memories, which sought to understand Bensham through drawing 'maps' and undertaking geo-located walks in the local area. The collection is highly subjective and representative of those who participated. The data may not be historically correct due to the influence of memory and nostalgia, but allows users to weave narratives of local identity from current perceptions and understandings.

The Loathsome Worm is a mobile studio and workshop, catering for a great variety of recording projects. In this proof of concept piece, we used the tale of The Lambton Worm to explore recording techniques, sound design and creative storytelling, and built a geolocated audio experience based around Cox Green and Penshaw Hill. (If you are experiencing issues with ECHOES, you can find an alternative soundwalk here; https://linktr.ee/theloathsomeworm) All narration and sound effects were created and recorded by the participants of our workshop at the Washington Arts Centre on February 25th, 2023. The music was made using their suggestions, which included what instruments they felt reflected the time, as well as the mood of each chapter, and what instruments they felt created certain atmospheres; such as tension or joy. If you would like contact us to discuss creating your own geolocated soundwalk, audiobook, or simply bringing a story to life, please e-mail us at; theloathsomeworm@gmail.com We can be as flexible as your imagination. We'd like to extend a special thank you to Matthew Blyth, Daniel Appleby, and the Washington Arts Centre; our facilitators Jayne Dent, Mica Hind, and Ste Bardgett; and our participants Rhianna Ball, Amelie Costigan, Charlie Dipper, Lauren Muir, and Ashton Muncaster. Concept and Design; Steven Chell and David Littlefair. Artwork; Spaghetti Quester (spaghettiquester@gmail.com).

Finished in 1778, Prebends Bridge was an intentional project in constructing a thoroughly Romantic, idealised image of medieval Durham. Famously depicted in J. M. W. Turner’s Durham, picturesque views of the cathedral, castle and woodland have made the bridge a popular tourist attraction. Now a busy thoroughfare within the increasingly metropolitan city, the once idyllic enclave has slowly become a site of aesthetic tension between history, idealism, and modernity. Prebends is a soundwalk across Prebends Bridge, using geolocated sound as an overlay to connect and contrast the myriad (conflicting) ideals and histories attached to the bridge with the experience of the present.

MOTIVATIONAL WALK ON NORTHUMBERLANDIA LANDFORM.

In partnership with the North Tyneside Learning Trust, the Parliamentary Archives, and Nexus (Tyne & Wear Metro), the North Tyneside Sound Walk 2020 saw Year 9 children from 3 secondary schools working together to create a unique resource for visitors to their local area. Over two weeks, the children worked together with artists, musicians, teachers, archivists and more, to uncover stories from the history of North Tyneside. Inspired by these stories, the children developed three sound walks, and visual art for an exhibition in a local art gallery. Created, devised & performed by the children of Norham, John Spence Community and Marden High Schools. Credits: Oboe – Tim Keasley Tuba – Danielle Price Trombone – Ian Sankey Euphonium – Martin Thomson Artists & workshop leaders – Hannah James, Ellen Erichsen & Harry Hughes. Additional narration by Beth Donkin. Recorded on location by Joe Snape. Mixed and mastered by Pierpaolo Demarchi. Design by Kamilla Vinther.

YOU ARE HERE: SUNDERLAND is a brand new, geo-tagged audio trail that transforms familiar streets into a soundscape of local stories, memories, and snatches of conversations. It’s a "choose your own adventure" with sound, inviting you to reconnect with the often-overlooked details around you and see Sunderland with fresh eyes, all at your own pace. Go and explore the YOU ARE HERE audio-markers dotted across the city centre – from Keel Square to the Fire Station & Sunderland Empire, and over to Sunderland Minster. As you do, you'll hear hidden histories and conversations from some of the people who call Sunderland home. See which stories you connect with the most, what memories they bring to mind, and what histories you didn't know. STAYING SAFE As you set off on your audio adventure, please remember to stay alert to what's around you. That means looking out for roads, traffic, and any steps or uneven surfaces. Like any exploration, be mindful of your safety and respect all local rules and opening times. You're heading out on this adventure at your own discretion, so enjoy it responsibly and you explore the trail at your own risk. CREATED BY This experience was created and developed by The Six Twenty (theatre company) in partnership with Sunderland Youth Council (an advisory network of young people aged 11 to 19) and Together for Children (Youth and Family Services). Sunderland Youth Council makes sure that young people's voices are heard. YOU ARE HERE is commissioned by Historic England as part of their History in the Making programme – an initiative that empowers young people to discover, record, and share the diverse experiences and memories of their community. The project is also supported by Arts Council England. ACCESSING THE TRAIL You can experience the trail through the Echoes app. If you have any difficulty accessing it, or prefer to listen another way, all the audio is also available on our website at www.thesixtwenty.com. While you're there, be sure to check out details of our group walks led by a tour guide using silent disco headsets – a fantastic way to explore with others!

Pipe up is a two part exhibition as part of the wider Polluted Leisure project supported by The Bartlett Fund and Newcastle University. It is a collaboration between two emerging artists, Hannah Sparkes and Anna Muddiman. The Cullercoats Bay underpass gallery showcases 10 etched copper plates depicting local outlet pipes. These pipes are sites and carriers of pollution in Cullercoats Bay and Whitley Bay. The bodily forms respond to the rhythms and flows of the surrounding environment, considering boundaries between land and sea and humanity and nature, through negative space. Participants are invited to engage in an ecological deep listening experience which harnesses the use of geotagging sound technology to map recordings along the coastal path. The artists hope this will prompt the audience to form closer relationships to their natural surroundings, and develop an empathetic response to the problem of pollution.

This walk shows Sunderland’s Black History, both through the work of some notable Black citizens and in stories of two centuries of anti-racism activism. It also shows that Sunderland has a history of enslavement, the legacy of which lives on. This is a short walk, with plenty of opportunities to grab a cuppa. The walk is part of Project North Star, including Sunderland University. The audio on the app is voiced by Sunderland University students Endurance Idowu and Godstime David.